How Do You Know You Have Both a Son and a Daughter

The auction at the Pearl Tower was nearing its end, the massive luminous pearl atop the building casting a soft glow over the seaside at dusk.

Li Mo and the Pearl Tower had already settled their transactions.

About half the items on the list had ended up in his possession, along with the money. As for the rare spiritual treasures, he planned to store them in the Qingyuan Sect’s treasury.

"Hmm?"

Retrieving the spatial artifact he had handed over earlier, along with the one containing the auctioned items, Li Mo frowned.

"What’s wrong? Are things missing inside?" Qian Bufan asked nervously.

Elder Qian was still the same old Qian—someone who considered it a loss if he didn’t pick up money on the street.

"Something feels off." Li Mo passed the spatial artifact back.

Elder Qian quickly took it and probed with his spiritual sense, only to freeze in confusion.

There was no problem...

"I clearly bought so many things, so why has my money increased instead? It’s impossible to spend it all, just impossible..."

Qian Bufan: "You little—"

Even though he knew he couldn’t beat Li Mo anymore, he still had the urge to punch the kid a couple of times.

At this moment, Li Mo chuckled. "Elder Qian, I’ve taken what I need from this spatial artifact. You can keep the rest for safekeeping."

"Don’t be modest, truly! You are the most dashing, heroic young master I’ve ever seen in my life. A single majestic stance from you could summon admirers from all directions! My admiration for you is as boundless as an endless river—"

Elder Qian’s tone and expression switched instantly.

His strength was directly tied to his wealth.

Before coming here, he had mentally prepared himself for his money tree to wither...

But never in his wildest dreams did he expect that after buying so much, not a single coin had been spent. On top of that, the spatial artifact Li Mo handed back even contained an extra five hundred Mystic Crystals—likely profits from the auction.

A person’s tastes change from moment to moment.

Just the way Li Mo had handed over the spatial artifact, the sheer generosity of the gesture—even if he had been an ordinary-looking youth, in that instant, he would have seemed like the most handsome man in all the heavens and earth.

"I merely contributed a trivial amount of wealth. The sect has given me far more. There’s no need for such flattery, Elder Qian."

Watching Elder Qian’s theatrical shift in demeanor, Li Mo couldn’t help but laugh.

He truly didn’t care.

But even if he did, he hadn’t lost anything. The value of treasures like the Hammer Artifact and the nation’s fortune couldn’t be measured in money, yet the elders of his sect had never hesitated to support him.

If anything, the Qingyuan Sect had given him far more.

"Well, Lan Tian and the others at the Pearl Tower must be exhausted today. Before we leave, why not treat them to something?"

"Excellent idea! This old man will treat everyone to a feast—pig trotters!"

"Damn, Elder Qian is actually buying us a meal?"

Li Mo stared at him in shock.

But he soon understood the reason.

That night, the Pearl Tower glowed with lanterns, its brilliance mingling with the deep ocean waves. The limited stock of pig trotters in the market sold out instantly. Every guest who had attended the auction was invited to stay for the feast.

In a private room on the third floor, Li Mo didn’t join the meal.

Not that he had no interest in pig trotters.

"Burp—"

Li Mo set down a highly aged sea ginseng and patted his stomach helplessly.

His digestion and absorption abilities were already exceptional, but even they had limits.

Most people would refine such rare spiritual treasures into pills, but he had just swallowed three whole plants raw. Now, he was channeling their exotic energies into his inner world.

"Only when all three hundred and sixty-five stars are lit will my inner world be fully saturated with energy."

"If I rely on eating alone, how long will that take?"

"I wonder if there’s a martial art that aids digestion?"

After brewing a cup of stomach-soothing tea, Li Mo stood by the window in thought but couldn’t recall ever hearing of such a technique.

No matter.

He’d just ask the Ice Block (Ying Bing) when he got back. Knowing her, she’d probably invent one on the spot.

Rustle—

Suddenly, an unusual fluctuation came from the neighboring room.

Li Mo paused, hearing what sounded like leaves clinking together, producing a jingling noise reminiscent of coins.

Next door.

Qian Bufan was organizing the spatial artifact, sorting items for the treasury, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

At that moment, he felt an epiphany and burst into hearty laughter.

"Earning money is easy. Learning how to spend it—that’s the real challenge!"

A golden Money Tree sprouted from the ground, its leaves shaped like coins, each stamped with his grinning face.

The already lively exotic treasure market was now showered in a rain of wealth.

Numerous rare treasures resonated in response, their radiant glows manifesting all across the market.

At the same time, a familiar voice echoed in Li Mo’s ears.

[Congratulations, Host. You have successfully invested in ‘Qian Bufan,’ aiding his breakthrough to the Outer Scenery realm.]

[Investment Reward: One Mystic Silver Scripture Seal.]

"Elder Qian has also ascended."

Li Mo smiled in satisfaction, then wiped a trickle of blood from his nose and muttered, "Why is sea ginseng so yang-heavy too?"

Summoning his Nimbus Cloud, he soared toward the East Sea, planning to train his Eight-Nine Arcane Art in the depths.

......

Meanwhile.

In a tavern elsewhere in the market.

Qiao Ziyu, the elder steward, and the rest of the Lingxi Sect’s entourage sat in silence, watching the flourishing Money Tree in the distance.

They had arrived with great momentum, intending to deal a heavy blow to the Qingyuan Sect’s already modest resources.

They had planned to dominate the auction, seize the Abyssal Records, and return in triumph.

Then, at the Qingyuan Sect’s grand ceremony and betrothal banquet, they would flaunt their supremacy, proving to the world who the true leading sect of the Eastern Wasteland Domain was.

Where had it all gone wrong?

Oh, right—it all started with a pig trotter...

Just then, a Lingxi Sect disciple returned from outside.

"Hey, the Pearl Tower’s hosting a pig trotter feast today..."

"Get out!"

"Right away..."

"But leave the pig trotter!"

"......"

Qiao Ziyu remained silent for a moment before suddenly snatching the pig trotter and biting down hard, crunching even the bones with a crack.

"This is an insult! A blatant insult! What are they trying to say? That they’re mocking us?!"

The elder steward chewed thoughtfully and murmured, "Or maybe... Qian Bufan just really likes pig trotters? Who knows who came up with the idea..."

Qiao Ziyu shot him a death glare.

"...Ahem."

The elder cleared his throat and steered the conversation back. "Qian Bufan’s martial arts grow stronger the more wealth he controls. His breakthrough proves he’s gained immensely from this."

"At this rate, the Qingyuan Sect’s foundation may be far more formidable than we imagined."

His words made the disciples ponder.

Switching sects wasn’t realistic—most factions in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths nurtured their disciples from youth.

Especially for sects like Lingxi, which trained not just in martial arts but also esoteric arts.

They were bound to their path, for better or worse.

But one thing was clear: once the Qingyuan Sect solidified its position, with talents like Li Mo and Ying Bing destined to shine across the realms, the Lingxi Sect would soon fade into obscurity in the Eastern Wasteland Domain.

The Qingyuan Sect wouldn’t even need to target them—two tigers cannot share one mountain unless one submits.

"Our only option now is to find a way to trap Li Mo in the East Sea."

"Li Mo was absent from the betrothal banquet, and Qian Bufan missed the promotion ceremony. That's how we got our chance."

"So how do we make sure that happens?"